Trump lovers are attacking LeVar Burton because they think he's LaVar Ball

This is where we are. God help us

Published November 22, 2017 11:25AM (EST)

LeVar Burton (Getty/Jason Kempin)
LeVar Burton (Getty/Jason Kempin)

The ongoing war of words between LaVar Ball, the simple-minded windbag father of several elite basketball players, and President Donald Trump, the simple-minded windbag leader of the free world, is perhaps the most garbage story of 2017.

It's a collision between an unstoppable force and an immovable object, so alike in spirit that it's a wonder they aren't deeply in love with each other (though maybe Ball's racial identity would be a stumbling block for Trump).

Yet, even as Trump fired the least dignified salvo in this conflict Wednesday morning (via Twitter, of course), the most garbage aspect of this sign that perhaps the human race does indeed deserve to be obliterated by a meteor, involved the errant fire coming the way of a beloved PBS figure.

Trump supporters, who apparently cannot tell the difference between two black men who have similar first names, have been attacking "Reading Rainbow" and "Star Trek: The Next Generation" star LeVar Burton over the internet, in the false belief that he is somehow LaVar Ball.

HuffPost has dutifully collected some of the tweets sent Burton's way. Try not to cry when you read them.

There were more such examples out there, but having realized their error, some of the users who posted them have deleted those tweets. Here is one of those.

I wonder what you did to piss off your producers that they made you sit through that shit-show of an interview with @levarburton.... what an arrogant a--hole!! -- Jamie Lenz (@Jamieboy05)

Burton, by most most accounts lovely man who — let's remember — spent a good portion of his life and career impressing upon children the joy of reading, tried to absorb it all with a sort of incredulous magnanimity.

"Star Trek" co-star Brent Spiner was there with the best joke of the day:

It's a good rip, but if that doesn't restore your faith in humanity, please click on the video below to help you get through your day in Trump's America.


By Gabriel Bell

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